Don't Let Summer Slip Away

So it's almost the end of July. Have you made the most of summer by visiting the PHMC's Trails of History? Events this weekend can be found on the July program page. Events for the month ahead are on the August program page. Don't wait!

As if inspired by today's title (which I swear I came up with before I saw this article), the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader included a visit to Eckley Miners' Village on its Summer Bucket List!

This Saturday, July 30, The State Museum of PA will hold a Community Day and feature presentations and tours of the exhibit "We're Here: Pioneering LGBT Rights in Pennsylvania." Admission is free. The Museum is open 9 am to 5 pm; "We're Here" event is 9-11 am.

I caught (on camera if not with a Pokeball) a Zubat in my cubicle

If you're playing Pokemon GO, you may have found Pokestops and gyms at our sites. We ask that you respect site hours and areas where admission is required, but please include the Trails of History in your gaming. Old Economy Village is hosting an event this Sunday afternoon (July 31) with free admission (Sundays are free in 2016 in honor of the site's centennial), Pokemon lures, and ice cream sundaes to keep you cool. Site is open noon to 5 pm; ice cream sundaes are 1-4 pm.

The Rapp House garden at OEV has been invaded 

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum's recent Civil War Weekend received good coverage before and after the event and despite the heat had good attendance. The event focused primarily on the impact of the war on the homefront, populating the site with reenactors presenting civilians and Union soldiers (including members of the U.S. Colored Troops) recruiting and training. President and Mrs. Lincoln also made an appearance. Jennifer MacNeill Photography posted an album of photos and shared them with Landis Valley.

Curious about how PHMC manages its extraordinary and wide-ranging collections and makes sure that what we care for is significant to Pennsylvania? Lancaster Farming recently published an article about the agency's recent deaccessioning auction that details how the decisions are made and highlights some objects (and why we were letting them go).

Trevor Hawes, an Erie native now living in Texas and writing about the oil and gas business for the Midland Reporter-Telegram, recounted a recent visit to Drake Well Museum in an article entitled "Romance is not Lost in the Oil Industry" (posted online July 23 and updated on the 25th). Despite having grown up in the area, this was his first visit to the site generally acknowledged as the birthplace of the oil industry. (The article features contemporary and historical images, credited to Drake Well Museum/PHMC.)

Last week, the U.S. Brig Niagara won Race 2 (off Fairport Harbor, Ohio) of the 2016 Tall Ships Challenge and competed in a "Galley Showdown" at the Bay City (MI) Festival. The ship's blog and Facebook page have photos of the current voyage as well as some activities going on back at the Erie Maritime Museum while the ship is away.

Pennsbury Manor shared a Facebook post from Philly Touch Tours, with photos from their recent visit to the site.